What are you Really Selling?
What are you really selling as an event planner?
Planning takes a lot of work, especially when you’re just getting started. One of the main reasons we started EventPreneur Club was to help event planners share ideas and work out the best ways to market their business, but one of the questions that kept coming up was: what are you really selling as an event planner?
The simple answer is yourself. You’re selling your expertise and knowledge on how to provide clients with the perfect event. You’re also selling your connections to different industries, all of which need to be brought together to make an event run smoothly. So as a lone entrepreneur, the most important thing you can do is effectively promote your event planning business.
Here are the top tips on how to do that.
1. KNOW YOUR NICHE
Deciding on your event planning niche is the first step to take, as it will decide where you advertise, and to what market. This can be the hardest step of all, but the best thing you can do is work with your existing interests and skillset. This will allow you to narrow down your market, and give you a much better chance of success.
2. NETWORK
In the early stages of any business, getting your name out there is key. EventPreneur Club is a great place to start because it’s what we went into business for. It also helps to network on social media, so join groups related to your niche, or make connections in relevant industries that you can draw on at a later time. Facebook Groups like the EventPreneur Club, Event Hustlers, Event Planners Gather and #EventProfs Mastermind are great places to network. Once people begin to know your name and the services you offer, you have a much greater chance of referrals.
3. ADVERTISING IS KEY
This goes without saying really, but a major step in being an EventPreneur is knowing the importance of advertising. This is why it’s necessary to establish your niche early on, as this will allow you to target potential clients much more effectively with meaningful advertisement. Advertising doesn’t have to just be sponsored ads on social media or in a local newspaper, it can be more savvy, such as networking with industry bloggers or making connections with an event venue or suppliers. If they keep you top of mind, the chances are they’ll refer your business.
4. POSTING ON SOCIAL MEDIA
In the early stages of any wedding or event planning business, this can be a great way to get clients. It can be as simple as posting a public Facebook status or tweet mentioning your services, or it can be more direct and in person. Whatever you choose to do, just make sure you’re not being too pushy.
Selling your skills as a planner requires confidence and patience. Deciding on your business niche does wonders for future advertising, and makes it much easier to find clients.
The most important thing to remember is that you need to be persistent with your promotion, to ensure you stay top of mind.
